Lucinda Brand claimed her first victory of the cyclocross season at the Kiremko Nacht van Woerden, out-sprinting Marie Schreiber in a tense finale. Brand, the Dutch Champion, bided her time before launching her decisive attack in the closing stages, crossing the line five seconds ahead of Schreiber.
The race began under the floodlit skies of Woerden, with a fast start that saw a lead group of four form early on. World Champion Fem van Empel, Blanka Kata Vas, and Inge Van der Heijden joined Brand at the front, while Schreiber, in a determined chase, closed the gap to join the leaders. Van Empel, who had taken charge of the pace, led through much of the early part of the race, splitting the field and creating a gap to the chasers.
The race turned tactical as Brand tested her rivals with an attack midway through, but Van Empel reacted swiftly to bring her back. With the pace slowing, Schreiber and Van der Heijden moved to the front as the group began to jockey for position going into the final laps. Vas struggled to keep the pace and began to drop back, leaving four riders to fight for the win.
Schreiber made her move first, attacking hard at the start of the final lap and opening a small gap. However, Brand, experienced and patient, waited for her moment to strike. With one lap to go, she surged past Schreiber, gaining a crucial advantage that she held to the finish.
“I knew I had to time my effort just right,” said Brand after the race. “It was tough, but everything came together in that last lap.”
Van Empel, despite her strong start, made a small mistake on the final lap and had to settle for third, 11 seconds behind the winner. Reflecting on her performance, Van Empel admitted, “I made a small mistake in the penultimate lap and unfortunately wasnโt able to close the gap afterward.” The World Champion remains optimistic as she looks forward to the European Championships in a week’s time.
Meanwhile, Wiebes, typically a road sprinter, finished a commendable seventh, proving her versatility in a challenging race.
2024 Women’s Nacht van Woerden result
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Van der Haar dominates men’s race from start to finish
In the menโs race, Lars van der Haar stormed to victory in commanding fashion, leading from the start and never looking back. The Baloise Trek rider took control right from the gun, grabbing the hole shot and building an early advantage that he maintained throughout the race.
European Champion Michael Vanthourenhout mounted a chase but was unable to close the gap, finishing second, 25 seconds behind Van der Haar. Van der Haarโs teammate, David Haverdings, completed the podium in third place.
Van der Haarโs lead grew steadily with each lap of the floodlit course, showing his strength and control on the technical sections. By the time the final lap rolled around, he had carved out a commanding half-minute lead. Vanthourenhout, unable to match his pace, had to focus on holding off Haverdings for second place, which he did in the closing laps.
The win marked Van der Haarโs second victory of the season, and he made it clear that this race had been one of his key early targets.
2024 Men’s Nacht van Woerden result
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Main photo credit: Cor Vos
